Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets with US business delegation in Hà Nội on Thursday. — Photo VGP
The Government of Viet Nam attaches great importance to friendly and co-operative relations with the US in a pragmatic manner, on the basis of respect for each other’s political institutions, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told a US business delegation in Ha Noi on Thursday.
Phuc told the group, including senior managers of 29 enterprises, that the Vietnamese Government was ready to work with the administration of President Donald Trump to promote US-Viet Nam relations.
The business people, for their part, told the PM that although Trump had pulled the US out of the long-anticipated Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), there were many mechanism in place to ensure effective co-operation between enterprises in the two countries. The US side praised Viet Nam’s improving business and investment environment, opening the door to expanding long-term business investment in the country.
Phuc said he appreciated the contribution of US businesses to the country’s development, emphasising that Viet Nam continues to reform and integrate and create favourable conditions for investors.
He hailed the success of US businesses in Viet Nam, and expressed his appreciation of their commitment to support Viet Nam in the process of development innovation. The success of US businesses, he added, is the success of Viet Nam.
“The Government of Viet Nam has paid much attention to improving the business investment environment, listening to and resolving investors’ problems,” Phuc said, “Viet Nam will continue to maintain macro-economic stability, continue to build a transparent legal environment, carry out deeper reforms, and strive to be one of the top four ASEAN countries in terms of business investment environment.”
US investors are interested in participating as strategic shareholders in the equitisation of State-owned enterprises, the Prime Minister said. “Viet Nam is committed to the implementation of signed free trade agreements, will continue to build institutions in areas which the US cares about to provide peace of mind for long-term investment in Viet Nam,” he said.
Delegation members expressed their wish to invest or expand their investment in Viet Nam in such areas as thermal power, wind power, production and distribution of animal feed, chemicals, agricultural insurance, micro finance, information technology, cinema and start up promotion.
The PM asked US businesses to urge their government and Congress to strengthen trade and investment co-operation with the region and Viet Nam, as well as support early recognition of Viet Nam’s market economy and help it in successfully organising APEC 2017. He said APEC Year 2017 was an opportunity to strengthen the connection between US and Vietnamese businesses.
On behalf of US businesses, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director for the US-ASEAN Business Council, Michael Michalak, said that Viet Nam was an attractive investment destination as proven by many successful US businesses in Viet Nam. — VNS